Liberation capitalizes on Sicko with Manufacturing Dissent

Documentary focuses on Michael Moore's filmmaking

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/6/2007

JULY 6 | Liberation Entertainment is hoping to ride the coattails of current Michael Moore documentary Sicko with the fall DVD Manufacturing Dissent, which examines the filmmaking methods of Moore himself.

The DVD is tentatively slated to street on Oct. 23 (prebook Oct. 3), around the time Liberation expects Sicko, a Weinstein Co. release on DVD, to bow. Sicko opened theatrically June 22, and its DVD release has not yet been announced.

Genius Products distributes both TWC and Liberation titles.

“With Manufacturing Dissent, there are a lot of marketing opportunities to leverage Michael Moore’s [profile]. It’s a no-brainer,” said Chris Donaldson, director of marketing for Liberation.

Already, Liberation has fielded interest from Fox News Channel personalities Bill O’Reilly and the network’s political show Hannity & Colmes to interview Manufacturing Dissent directors Debbie Melnyck and Rick Caine.

Liberation acquired the DVD rights to the title upon seeing it at film festivals, including this year’s South by Southwest.

“Among documentary filmmakers, there really is no greater icon than Michael Moore,” said Melnyk. “He has made some absolutely wonderful and entertaining films, and we wanted to understand what made him tick. But as we turned the camera on him, we learned that he often employs the very tactics he himself claims to abhor.”

Melnyk and Caine criticize Moore for manipulating audiences by staging and inventing scenes but presenting them as real events.